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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the applicability of the TEXAS grant program to |
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institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 56.301(2) and (3), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(2) "Eligible institution" means a general academic |
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teaching [an] institution or a medical and dental unit [of higher
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education] that offers one or more undergraduate degree or |
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certification programs. The term does not include a public state |
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college. |
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(3) "General academic teaching institution," |
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"institution of higher education," "medical and dental unit," |
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"public ["Public] junior college," "public state college," and |
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"public technical institute" have the meanings assigned by Section |
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61.003. |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.302(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The purpose of this subchapter is to provide a grant of |
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money to enable eligible students to attend eligible [public] |
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institutions [of higher education] in this state. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 56.303(d-1), (e), and (f), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(d-1) In allocating among eligible [general academic
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teaching] institutions money available for initial TEXAS grants for |
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an academic year, the coordinating board shall ensure that each of |
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those institutions' proportional [percentage] share of the total |
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amount of money for initial grants that is allocated to eligible |
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[general academic teaching] institutions under this section |
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[subsection] for that year does not, as a result of the number of |
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students who establish eligibility at the institution for an |
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initial grant under Section 56.3041(2)(A), change from the |
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institution's proportional [percentage] share of the total amount |
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of money for initial grants that is allocated to those institutions |
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under this section [subsection] for the preceding academic year. |
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(e) In determining who should receive a TEXAS grant, the |
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coordinating board and the eligible institutions shall give |
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priority to awarding TEXAS grants to students who demonstrate the |
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greatest financial need and whose expected family contribution, as |
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determined according to the methodology used for federal student |
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financial aid, does not exceed 60 percent of the average statewide |
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amount of tuition and required fees described by Section |
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56.307(a). In giving priority based on financial need as required |
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by this subsection to students who meet the requirements for the |
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highest priority as provided by Subsection (f), an eligible [a
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general academic teaching] institution shall determine financial |
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need according to the relative expected family contribution of |
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those students, beginning with students who have the lowest |
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expected family contribution. |
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(f) Beginning with TEXAS grants awarded for the 2013-2014 |
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academic year, in determining who should receive an initial TEXAS |
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grant, each eligible [general academic teaching] institution, in |
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addition to giving priority as provided by Subsection (e), shall |
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give highest priority to students who meet the eligibility criteria |
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described by Section 56.3041(2)(A). If there is money available in |
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excess of the amount required to award an initial TEXAS grant to all |
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students meeting those criteria, an eligible [a general academic
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teaching] institution shall make awards to other students who meet |
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the eligibility criteria described by Section 56.304(a)(2)(A), |
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provided that the institution continues to give priority to |
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students as provided by Subsection (e). |
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SECTION 4. Sections 56.304(a) and (e-1), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person |
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must: |
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(1) be a resident of this state as determined by |
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coordinating board rules; |
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(2) meet either of the following academic |
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requirements: |
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(A) be a graduate of a public or accredited |
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private high school in this state who graduated not earlier than the |
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1998-1999 school year and who completed the recommended or advanced |
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high school curriculum established under Section 28.002 or 28.025 |
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or its equivalent; or |
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(B) have received an associate degree from a |
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public or private institution of higher education not earlier than |
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May 1, 2001; |
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(3) meet financial need requirements as defined by the |
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coordinating board; |
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(4) be enrolled in a baccalaureate [an undergraduate] |
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degree [or certificate] program at an eligible institution; |
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(5) be enrolled as: |
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(A) an entering undergraduate student for at |
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least three-fourths of a full course load for an entering |
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undergraduate student, as determined by the coordinating board, not |
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later than the 16th month after the date of the person's graduation |
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from high school; or |
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(B) an entering student for at least |
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three-fourths of a full course load for an undergraduate student as |
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determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 12th month |
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after the month the person receives an associate degree from a |
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public or private institution of higher education; |
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(6) have applied for any available financial aid or |
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assistance; and |
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(7) comply with any additional nonacademic |
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requirement adopted by the coordinating board under this |
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subchapter. |
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(e-1) If a person is initially awarded a TEXAS grant during |
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or after the 2005 fall semester, unless the person is provided |
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additional time during which the person may receive a TEXAS grant |
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under Subsection (e-2), the person's eligibility for a TEXAS grant |
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ends on: |
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(1) the fifth anniversary of the initial award of a |
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TEXAS grant to the person, if the person is enrolled in a degree [or
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certificate] program of four years [or less]; or |
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(2) the sixth anniversary of the initial award of a |
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TEXAS grant to the person, if the person is enrolled in a degree |
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program of more than four years. |
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SECTION 5. Section 56.3041, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.3041. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY OF PERSON GRADUATING FROM |
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HIGH SCHOOL ON OR AFTER MAY 1, 2013[, AND ENROLLING IN A GENERAL
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ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTION]. Notwithstanding Section |
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56.304(a), to be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person |
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graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2013, and enrolling |
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in an eligible [a general academic teaching] institution must: |
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(1) be a resident of this state as determined by |
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coordinating board rules; |
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(2) meet the academic requirements prescribed by |
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Paragraph (A), (B), or (C) as follows: |
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(A) be a graduate of a public or accredited |
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private high school in this state who completed the recommended |
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high school program established under Section 28.025 or its |
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equivalent and have accomplished any two or more of the following: |
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(i) graduation under the advanced high |
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school program established under Section 28.025 or its equivalent, |
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successful completion of the course requirements of the |
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international baccalaureate diploma program, or earning of the |
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equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours of college credit in |
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high school through courses described in Sections 28.009(a)(1), |
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(2), and (3); |
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(ii) satisfaction of the Texas Success |
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Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the |
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coordinating board under Section 51.3062(f) on any assessment |
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instrument designated by the coordinating board under Section |
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51.3062(c) [or (e)] or qualification for an exemption as described |
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by Section 51.3062(p), (q), or (q-1); |
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(iii) graduation in the top one-third of |
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the person's high school graduating class or graduation from high |
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school with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point |
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scale or the equivalent; or |
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(iv) completion for high school credit of |
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at least one advanced mathematics course following the successful |
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completion of an Algebra II course, as permitted by Section |
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28.025(b-3), or at least one advanced career and technical course, |
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as permitted by Section 28.025(b-2); |
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(B) have received an associate degree from a |
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public or private institution of higher education; or |
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(C) if sufficient money is available, meet the |
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eligibility criteria described by Section 56.304(a)(2)(A); |
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(3) meet financial need requirements established by |
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the coordinating board; |
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(4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or |
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certificate program at an eligible [the general academic teaching] |
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institution; |
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(5) except as provided under rules adopted under |
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Section 56.304(h), be enrolled as: |
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(A) an entering undergraduate student for at |
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least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the |
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coordinating board, not later than the 16th month after the |
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calendar month in which the person graduated from high school; |
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(B) an entering undergraduate student who |
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entered military service not later than the first anniversary of |
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the date the person graduated from high school and who enrolled for |
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at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the |
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coordinating board, at the eligible [general academic teaching] |
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institution not later than 12 months after being honorably |
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discharged from military service; or |
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(C) a continuing undergraduate student for at |
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least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the |
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coordinating board, not later than the 12th month after the |
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calendar month in which the person received an associate degree |
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from a public or private institution of higher education; |
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(6) have applied for any available financial aid or |
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assistance; and |
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(7) comply with any additional nonacademic |
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requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this |
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subchapter. |
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SECTION 6. Section 56.305(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) After initially qualifying for a TEXAS grant, a person |
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may continue to receive a TEXAS grant during each semester or term |
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in which the person is enrolled at an eligible institution only if |
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the person: |
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(1) meets financial need requirements as defined by |
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the coordinating board; |
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(2) is enrolled in a baccalaureate [an undergraduate] |
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degree [or certificate] program at an eligible institution; |
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(3) is enrolled for at least three-fourths of a full |
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course load for an undergraduate student, as determined by the |
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coordinating board; |
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(4) makes satisfactory academic progress toward a |
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baccalaureate [an undergraduate] degree [or certificate]; and |
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(5) complies with any additional nonacademic |
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requirement adopted by the coordinating board. |
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SECTION 7. Section 56.306, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.306. GRANT USE. A person receiving a TEXAS grant |
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may use the money to pay any usual and customary cost of attendance |
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at an eligible institution [of higher education] incurred by the |
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student. The institution may disburse all or part of the proceeds |
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of a TEXAS grant to an eligible person only if the tuition and |
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required fees incurred by the person at the institution have been |
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paid. |
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SECTION 8. Section 56.307(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The amount of a TEXAS grant for a semester or term for a |
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person enrolled full-time at an eligible institution [other than an
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institution covered by Subsection (c) or (d)] is the amount |
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determined by the coordinating board as the average statewide |
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amount of tuition and required fees that a resident student |
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enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate degree program would be |
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charged for that semester or term at general academic teaching |
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institutions. |
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SECTION 9. Sections 56.307(c) and (d), Education Code, are |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 10. (a) The change in law made to Subchapter M, |
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Chapter 56, Education Code, by this Act applies beginning with |
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TEXAS grants awarded for the 2014 fall semester. Grants awarded for |
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a semester or term before the 2014 fall semester are governed by the |
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applicable law in effect immediately before the effective date of |
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this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) of this section, a |
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student who first receives a TEXAS grant for attendance at a public |
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junior college, public state college, or public technical institute |
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for a semester or other academic term before the 2014 fall semester |
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may continue to receive a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M, Chapter |
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56, Education Code, as that subchapter existed immediately before |
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the effective date of this Act, as long as the student remains |
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eligible for a TEXAS grant under the former law, and, if eligible, |
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may continue to receive a TEXAS grant if the student enrolls at an |
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eligible institution under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education |
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Code, as amended by this Act. The Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board shall adopt rules to administer this subsection |
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and shall notify each student who receives a TEXAS grant in the |
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2013-2014 academic year of the provisions of this subsection. |
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SECTION 11. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |